Woman who accused PSU’s Scott had made similar claim in 2003

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The woman who has accused Penn State running back Austin Scott of rape leveled similar charges in 2003 against a student at another college who was later acquitted.

Scott’s attorney told The Morning Call of Allentown that the woman has a history of falsely accusing men of rape, and that he can tell that to jurors who hear Scott’s case.

Prosecutors said they were aware of the woman’s past but believe it has no bearing on the Scott case.

In both cases, the woman said the attacks happened after she spent the night drinking and that she woke up to find the men forcing themselves on her, The Morning Call reported.

The accuser, a Penn State student, testified Wednesday that she met up with Scott at a bar earlier this month and told him during the walk to his apartment she did not want to have sex. She said she fell asleep on his bed and awoke to Scott trying to have sex with her. She said she tried to get up, started to say no and that Scott punched her in the side.

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Scott, 22, of Allentown, has called the encounter consensual and has pleaded not guilty.

In 2003, the same woman accused a Moravian College fraternity pledge of rape. She said the two had consensual sex in his room while his roommate was in the bottom bunk, but that after the roommate left, the fraternity pledge raped her several times.

That case ended in an acquittal on the most serious charges. The jury couldn’t reach a verdict on three counts, and prosecutors eventually decided to drop them.

Scott’s attorney, John P. Karoly Jr., said he could bring up the 2003 case if Scott goes to trial.

“This girl has made similar allegations before that were not believed by a jury,” he said.

Centre County Assistant District Attorney Lance Marshall said his office was aware of the other case when it approved filing charges against Scott last week.

“We don’t think it’s important at all, and we don’t think the defense should even be talking about it at all at this stage,” he said.

Marshall said prosecutors would oppose any attempt to refer to the older case at Scott’s trial.